For the past 12 days we have asked “Five Questions For…” each Big 12 school. In case you missed one, after the jump you can read the questions we have for all the hoops programs in the conference.
Have more questions, or comments on the questions? Leave a comment.
Missouri
1) How can Mizzou replace the loss of DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence?
2) Can Mizzou sustain the momentum that led them to a Big 12 tournament championship and Elite Eight run last season?
3) Now that Coach Mike Anderson has a squad made up entirely of his recruits, can the "Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" be even better?
4) Who will step up in the frontcourt for Mizzou? Steve Moore, Laurence Bowers, Keith Ramsey, Justin Safford?
5) Will this be the year Mizzou beats Illinois for the first time in 10 years in the "Busch Bragging Rights" game?
Kansas
1) Can the Jayhawks meet preseason expectations of being ranked #1 nationally in a lot of publications?
2) Can Kansas put their offseason troubles behind them?
3) Exactly how good is freshman Xavier Henry?
4) Will Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins both perform at All Big 12 levels?
5) Can anyone tell the Morris twins apart?
Colorado
1) Now that Jeff Bzdelik is in his third year, can he bring a winning season to Boulder?
2) If not, how much longer will the CU AD go on with the Bzdelik experiment?
3) Can Cory Higgins perform up to his 08-09 level, when he placed fifth in the conference in scoring?
4) Who else steps up for the Buffaloes?
5) Will the Buffaloes improve upon last season's 1-15 conference record?
Iowa State
1) Can Craig Brackins get any help, or will it again be a one man show?
2) Can the Cyclones crack the top half of the Big 12 North division?
3) Is there still "Hilton Magic" in Ames?
4) One publication listed Greg McDermott as being on the "hot seat." What does he need to do to get off it?
5) After 4 straight conference seasons with a losing record, can the Cyclones better the .500 mark this year?
Kansas State
1) Frank Martin brings the 20th ranked recruiting class to Manhattan. How can the 5 freshmen gel with the veterans?
2) Is Denis Clemente the most fun player to watch in the conference?
3) Can 6-10 UConn transfer Curtis Kelly shore up the frontline for the Wildcats?
4) Is K-State a legitimate program again after nearly a decade of meritocracy (sans the Bill Walker, Michael Beasley year)?
5) What can we expect from freshman Wally Judge?
Nebraska
1) Last year NU was the smallest team in college basketball. This year they brought in some size, will that help?
2) Will Doc Sadler's JUCO coaching experience help the three incoming JUCO transfers adjust to division 1 basketball?
3) Nebraska hasn't had a winning record this decade. Will they go 10 for 10 in losing seasons?
4) How will the team cope with two transfers leaving Lincoln?
5) Who wins more conference games, NU football or NU basketball?
Oklahoma
1) How does Oklahoma replace Blake Griffin?
2) Can Willie Warren be "the man"?
3) Can 6-8, 300 lb freshman Tiny Gallon play big in his first year in the Big 12?
4) Does Oklahoma mind being second fiddle in the Big 12 South?
5) Will inexperience in the frontcourt hurt Oklahoma's chances of making a deep run in the NCAA tournament?
Texas
1) Who will play the majority of the year, the Dexter Pittman who dominated the end of last season or the Dexter Pittman who was essentially non-existent for the first half?
2) Is freshman Avery Bradley as good as advertised?
3) Can the team get back to its first Final Four since 2003?
4) Did Damion James make the right move in returning for his senior season?
5) Between Dogus Balbay, Jai Lucas and J'Covan Brown, who will win the battle for starting PG spot?
Oklahoma State
1) Will Travis Ford's first full recruiting class bring a Big 12 championship to Stillwater?
2) With the loss of Byron Eaton, yet 4 of the top 6 scorers returning, can the Cowboys continue to put lots of points on the board?
3) How much better can James Anderson get?
4) Obi Muonelo played out of position last year. Will the right placement on the floor help the senior better his 12.7 ppg average from last year?
5) OK State will be bigger this year... but also slower. Will that hinder their ability to run with some of the Big 12 teams?
Texas Tech
1) Junior guard Mike Singletary lit up Texas A&M for a near conference tournament record 43 points last season. Will he continue to put the ball in the basket this season?
2) Will Pat Knight's second full season be an improvement over his first?
3) Is Pat Knight on the hot seat?
4) Do the Red Raiders have the personnel to match Knight's emphasis on defense this year?
5) Will all the new JUCO players pan out for the Red Raiders?
Texas A&M
1) How can the Aggies replace Josh Carter?
2) Some publications think the Aggies will finish in the top 4 in the conference. Can this team meet those expectations?
3) Mark Turgeon is in his third year in College Station. Now that he has a roster made up of mostly his guys, can the Aggies crack the upper 1/3 of the conference?
4) Will the four freshman have the impact Turgeon is hoping for?
5) The Aggies have made a school record 4 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Will the streak continue this year?
Baylor
1) Can the Bears rebound from the loss of 50% of their scoring and 2/3 of their assists due to graduation?
2) Coach Scott Drew can recruit, but can he coach those guys to a third straight post season tournament?
3) Can Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh be the defensive force Bears fans are expecting from the 6-10 center?
4) Did highly ranked recruit Nolan Dennis make the right decision in rescinding his verbal from Memphis and commit to Baylor?
5) Who will be the go-to guy this year, LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter or one of the freshman?
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